Her vex ely



H. ELY.

Flour Drier. v

Patented June 4 6-, 1854.-

N. PETERS. Fhnm-Lmm n hur, Washington, n.c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERVEY ELY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SAML. P. ELY.

DRYING FLOUR.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 11,046, dated June 6, 1854.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERVEY ELY, of the city of Rochester, county of Monroe, and State of New York, have invented an Im provement in Machines for Expelling Moisture from Flour and Meal and All Kinds of Grain.

The nature of my invention consists in the application of continuous currents of heated air to the exterior surface of revolving metallic cylinders which are closed at each end substantially in the manner shown. This heated air rising from below into the air chamber by its own levity, and at a uniform temperature, is so regulated in the manner of its introduction and discharge as to bring the contents of the cylinders to a given degree of temperature, and keep them at the same, by which arrangement the following objects are secured:

1st. A uniform degree of heat is applied to every part of the exterior surfaces of said cylinders.

5th. The flour meal or grain, as it de-- scends, carries with it into the cylinders a suflicient quantity of cold air to absorb, as its temperature is raised, all the moisture given off by the flour &c.; and thus by its forced introduction and subsequent expansion creates a downward current through the cylinders, and out through the discharging spout with the dry flour. The air charged with the moisture given off by the flour &c. is carried off through the conveyers outside of the air chamber, without imparting itself to the heated air within the air chamber. By closing the ends of the cylinders, also, the counter current of air is excluded which would otherwise set through the cylinders from the air chamber in an opposite direction.

6th. A large saving of fuel is effected Fig. 1.)

over every other known machine by employing currents of heated air in the manner mentioned in the place of radiated heatthrown into the chamber direct, Whether from an arch of masonry or a metallic surface constituting the floor of the air chamber.

Toaccomplish these objects I use Chilsons or any other furnace for heating air for dwellings. Directly above the furnace 1 construct a chamber of brick six feet high, five feet wide, and fourteen feet long (Figure 1). The currents of heated air are in troduced into the chamber by an aperture through the brick and iron floor 0f the same 15 inches in diameter. The admission of the air into the chamber by the furnace is regulated by a valve (Fig. 1, K). Over the aperture is laid a plate of sheet iron 2 feet wide and three feet long supported on pieces of brickfive inches above the floor. The bricks are placed at regular intervals, so as to leave spaces from 6 to 10 inches Wide for the transmission and diffusion of the heated air into and through the chamber. (Thesheet iron plate is shown by the letter N, Fig. 1.) Within this chamber I place two revolving metallic cylinders on the plan of Tysons, or any other conveyors I may choose to adopt. Each cylinder is twelve feet long, and eighteen inches in diameter, and one is placed above the other. (A, A, These cylinders are founded on cast iron shafts 3% inches in diameter, and 211- inches at each end, and their bearings are set in the brick work at each end of the chamber. Four sets of cast iron arms are placed in the shaft with an iron hoop -J; of an inch thick and 1% inches wide encircling each set of arms, and united to them. Over this frame a cylinder of the thickest tin is placed made by locking, riveting and soldering the sheets. The interior of the cylinders have a series of short tin flights soldered at regular intervals in eight lines. rising one inch from the interior surface of the cylinder, that the flour or other material may be lifted from the surface of-the cylinder as it revolves (see B, B, Fig. 1). These flights are spiral at the introducing end of each cylinder, and longitudinal in the center. In setting the cylinders the receiving end is elevated six inches above the discharging end, and the material is discharged from the upper into the lower cylinder through a tin spout. The lower cylinder is tend through the 'brick'wall Of the chamber.

. X,Y, 2, Fig. 1

Square tin boxes inclose' the ends of the cylinders to prevent waste, (C, D, & E, Fig. 1, C, Fig. 3, D, Fig. 4, E, Fig. 5). These boxes have-sliding doors (as shown by W,

- The chamber is constructed with a cast iron door on each side of sufficientsize to admit a man for examination of machinery and to test the temperature of the air,

which should be kept from 200 to 300 degrees of Fahrenheit according to the amount of work to be accomplished.

A pipe of sheet iron opens from the top of the chamber to carry off moisture and air, with a valve therein to regulate the amount; a gauze wire netting is placed in the pipe to prevent the escape of flour or dust. An opening is left in the wall in which a'thick plate glass is inserted. Facing this glass from the inside is a thermometer to indicate the temperature.

If it should be said that this invention is a simple revival of Tysons Dryer patented in 1831,"I answer that there are marked and essential differences between the two. The chief difference lies in the mode of applying heat. Tyson seems to have relied solely upon radiated heat thrown off from a stove placed within the chamber. So far as I have been able to understand his invention this was his sole reliance. This I repudiate entirely, and depend exclusively on currents of heated air introduced into the chamber direct, and from without, and so regulated by means of a valve, and by the remote location of the fire, as to prevent the possibility of scorching the flour, on the one hand, or an insufficient supply of heated air on the other. The main result of drying i.

the flour is secured by my method, in a better, safer, and more uniform manner than in the other. This method has never to my knowledge been applied to the objects and purposes herein claimed.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. Closing the cylinders, or other conveyers, at each end; or causing them to revolve,

in close boxes as herein described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. Applying to the exterior surface of closed cylinders continuous currents of heated air, so regulated as to keep the contents of the cylinders at a given temperature by an arrangement of dampers L and N and the observation of the thermometer attached as set fort-h.

Rochester, N. Y., Feb. 16, 1854.

HERVEY ELi.

Witnesses:

L. H. MORGAN, R. MALooMsAN. 

